


Vet Series Snippet - Watching You

by JudyL



Series: The Vet Series Snippets - Short stories that take place in the Vet Series au [5]
Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-20
Updated: 2011-10-20
Packaged: 2017-10-24 19:20:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/266963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JudyL/pseuds/JudyL
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>----SPOILERS----<br/>If you haven't read up to Vet 15 you may not want to read this yet. Warning! Major spoilers for chapters that haven’t been written yet (past Vet 18)</p><p>Caution, songfic ahead… but I couldn’t help myself. Inspired by the song ‘Watching You,” by Rodney Atkins. See complete lyrics at the end of the story.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Vet Series Snippet - Watching You

**Author's Note:**

> \----SPOILERS----  
> If you haven't read up to Vet 15 you may not want to read this yet. Warning! Major spoilers for chapters that haven’t been written yet (past Vet 18)
> 
> Caution, songfic ahead… but I couldn’t help myself. Inspired by the song ‘Watching You,” by Rodney Atkins. See complete lyrics at the end of the story.

Watching You

October 8, 2008

******

Jim stopped at the red light and looked over his shoulder. Four year old Jacob was in his booster seat, playing with the toy from his Wonderburger kid’s meal, his cup full of orange soda planted firmly between his legs. Jim grinned and turned back in time to see the light change to green.

As he accelerated and checked the surrounding traffic, the Sentinel considered the question Blair seemed to ask him at least once a week, did Jake seem to be showing any signs that he might have enhanced senses?

Both Jim and Jenny Ellison had tried to be patient with Blair. They had discussed the possibility that their son may be a Sentinel… or even a Guide, but neither of them felt it necessary to burden the boy with it as yet. Oh, they were careful not to expose him to harsh stimuli that might cause him undue pain, but overall, their philosophy was to wait and see.

Blair, as the concerned and well-meaning uncle and Guide, wanted to do more. He had always been proactive in respect to Jim’s senses, trying to show Jim how to deal with situations that he ‘might’ come across. How to deal with unexpected assaults on his senses.

Now Blair felt it was his responsibility to make sure little Jake knew how to control his senses before he ran into trouble. For Blair, it was a matter of protecting a Sentinel, even a four year old whose senses probably weren’t online yet… if he was a Sentinel.

Jim shook his head and huffed slightly. Fortunately, Blair’s girls were keeping him busier and the question came up less often now than it had in the past. He saw the light ahead turn green and quickly checked his mirrors before focusing forward again.

The light was red again!

Jim slammed on his brakes and swore under his breath as the truck swerved and slid into the intersection. A curse word from the back seat barely graced his consciousness as he accelerated slowly, pulled off to the side of the road, put the truck in park and turned off the ignition. Thankfully no other cars had been going through the intersection.

Jim undid his seat belt and turned to kneel, leaning between the bucket seats to check on Jake. “You okay, Chief?”

Jake nodded, his face screwed up in a grimace. “My orange spilt, Dad. It’s sticky.”

“I know, kiddo. We’ll be home soon and get you all cleaned up.” Jim grinned reassuringly. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, Dad. Can we hurry? I’m all icky!”

Jim chuckled and ran his fingers lightly down the side of his son’s face, letting his senses play over his son as he checked for injuries. “You got it, Chief. Hang on.” He turned around and got settled back into his seat. “He’s all right. Thank you, God,” he sighed under his breath. He started the truck, then frowned as he recalled the word Jake had used during the accident.

Leaving the truck in park, Jim adjusted the rear view mirror. “Jake?” He wanted to know which of their friends he needed to take to task for not watching their language around little ears.

Jacob looked up and met his eyes in the mirror. “Yeah, Dad?”

“Where did you hear that word?”

“What word?”

“Um,” Jim stumbled, not really wanting to repeat it in front of Jacob. “Well, um, the word you said when I had to stop so fast, you know, um, shit.”

Jacob’s face lit up so proudly, that Jim couldn’t help but smile back. “I learned it from you, Dad!”

 

He said I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool  
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you  
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are  
We got cowboy boots and camo pants  
Yeah we're just alike, hey ain't we dad  
I wanna do everything you do  
So I've been watching you

*****

“I swear, Blair…”

“Obviously, Jim,” Blair chuckled.

Jim glared briefly then continued. “I am very careful not to swear around Jake or the girls. I don’t know when he could have heard me say that,” Jim said, glancing over to where the kids were playing on the floor.

“Jenny?” Blair suggested.

“Naw,” Jim dismissed. “We both are pretty careful. I don’t even think I’ve heard her swear at all since Jake’s been born. Don’t know how she does it.”

Blair’s grin turned to a thoughtful frown. “Do you think he ‘heard’ you?”

Jim sighed and shrugged. “I don’t know, Chief. I suppose it’s possible.”

Blair looked at the kids for a moment, his expression thoughtful. Then he whispered so softly that Jim barely heard him, “Hey, Jake.”

Jacob stood up and looked over the back of the sofa. “Yeah, Uncle Chief?”

Blair opened his mouth, surprised that he was so surprised by the result of his little test. “Um, you can hear pretty good, Jacob.”

“Uh huh,” Jake agreed with a nod.

“How long have you been able to hear so well?” Blair asked.

Jake squinched his face up in a look that mirrored one of Jim’s ‘thinking’ faces, then shrugged. “I don’know. A while.”

“I see,” Blair nodded. “Can you do anything… Teri!” Blair leapt from his seat and dashed toward the stairs leading up to his and Elise’s bedroom.

Jim gasped and stood to help, knowing he’d never make it. Little Theresa Sandburg had climbed halfway up the stairs using the metal rail to keep her balance. She turned when her father called her name and tottered unsteadily on the stair.

Blair lunged up the stairs and caught her as Teri started to fall. He grabbed her to his chest and sat down on the stairs. “Oh, my God, oh my God, oh my God…” Blair repeated, rocking his baby girl.

On the floor below, Josie, always sensitive to the emotions in a room, started to cry. Jim picked her up and held her close. Jacob stood by his dad, his arms wrapped around Jim’s leg.

“It’s okay, Chief,” Jim tried to reassure his brother. “You caught her, Teri’s fine.”

Blair met Jim’s eyes. “Jesus, Jim. I thought…”

Jim swallowed hard and nodded. “But nothing happened, Blair. Everyone’s good.” He held Blair’s gaze for a long moment until the other man nodded. Jim smiled softly and looked down at Josie. “I do think we need to consider a one story dwelling for this accident prone bunch, whatcha think, Jo?”

The curly haired little girl looked up at her Uncle Jim, her thumb in her mouth and nodded in agreement.

~~~~~

Jenny shook her head as she rinsed the last dinner dish and set it on the rack to dry. “Well, we knew there was a pretty high probability that Jacob would have your abilities, Jim. I don’t know what all the fuss is about.” She turned to face her husband who was leaning against the counter.

Jim shrugged and pulled her into hug. “I know. I guess, I don’t know. Maybe I was hoping he wouldn’t…”

Jen sighed. “We should be glad that he doesn’t seem to be having any trouble and just… try and be prepared. We’ve talked about this, pussycat.”

Jim grinned at the nickname that Jen only used in private. “I know.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Blair’s already working on a plan to make sure Jake doesn’t have the same ‘issues’ I’ve had to deal with. He said…” Jim stopped suddenly and tilted his head.

“What?” Jen asked, recognizing Jim’s listening pose. “Is Jacob still awake?”

Jim nodded, his smile bemused as he led Jenny to Jake’s room and put his finger to his lips to keep her quiet. They leaned against the wall outside their son’s room and listened.

“…and thank you, God, for not letting any cars hit the truck this morning. That was really scary. I said a bad word. Daddy told me little kids shouldn’t say words like that, but I knew it was a bad word and said it anyway. I’m sorry. Oh, and thank you, God for letting Uncle Chief get to Teri fast and keeping her from falling off the stairs. Josie was so scared. Me, too, but I was brave for them cause they’re just little girls and I’m big. Anyway, I gotta go to sleep now. Good night, God.”

Out in the hall, Jenny grinned, tears shining in her eyes. She looked at Jim and saw his eyes were overly bright as well. She took his hand and led him away from Jake’s room. Jen led them past the stereo, paused to turn it on, and then continued on to the couch.

Jim wiped the tears from her face. “Where on earth did he learn to pray like that? Talking to God like he’s talking to a friend?”

Jenny pulled her feet up onto the couch and leaned into her husband’s embrace. “I don’t know, but I’m glad. I never could figure out how to instill ‘real’ faith in someone. I know it doesn’t just come from going to church, it’s something you just have to have.”

“Yeah.” Jim tilted his head to rest on top of Jen’s. “Thank you, God. That’s one less thing we have to worry about.”

Jen looked up sharply, causing Jim to jerk his head back.

“What?” he asked.

“You.” Jenny smiled. “He learned it from you, Jim.”

 

He said I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool  
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you  
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are  
We like fixing things and holding mama's hand  
Yeah we're just alike, hey ain't we dad  
I wanna do everything you do  
So I've been watching you

*****

Several days later  
Sandburg Loft

A smirk found its way to Jim’s lips as he leaned his back against the wall just inside Blair’s door. He crossed one foot in front of the other and crossed his arms as he waited for his partner to finish saying good-bye to his family. Beside him, Jake copied his pose.

The three boys were heading for a camp out, a guys-weekend out. And as usual, Blair was running late. He did have a good excuse though. Josie and Teri kept asking him questions the way only two precocious, three-year old twins could.

Jim chuckled and heard Jake echo him. He opened his mouth to hurry Blair along, but the voice he heard wasn’t his.

“Shake a leg, Chief, we’re burnin’ daylight.”

Blair froze, Josie hanging over his shoulder and Teri hugged up against the other hip. He turned his head to stare at Jake.

Jim glanced down at the serious look on his son’s face and pressed his lips together. I won’t laugh. I won’t laugh. He cleared his throat and looked up innocently at Blair. “You ‘bout done there, Chief?” he said, knowing exactly how similar he and Jake sounded.

Blair blinked, shook his head and then nodded. “Yeah, uh, just a minute. Okay, you monsters. I expect you to be good for your mom.” He kissed Teri on the forehead and put her down, then pulled Josie off his shoulder, gave her a kiss and set her down as well. With a soft pop on each girls’ rear end he sent them in the direction of the door. “Go next door, I’m right behind you,” he growled menacingly.

Blair and Jim chuckled as the two girls ran, still a bit clumsy at their age, giggling and shrieking. Jim motioned for Jake to go ahead and shared a look with Blair as they exited his loft.

“It’s kinda scary, Jim, how much he sounded like you.”

Jim just laughed.

Cause I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool  
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you  
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are  
By then I'll be as strong as superman  
We'll be just alike, hey won't we dad  
When I can do everything you do  
Cause I've been watching you

The end.

 

Watching You

By Rodney Atkins

Driving through town just my boy and me  
With a happy meal in his booster seat  
Knowing that he couldn't have the toy  
Till his nuggets were gone  
Green traffic light turned straight to red  
I hit my breaks and mumbled under my breath  
His fries went a flying and his orange drink covered his lap  
Well then my four year old said a four letter word  
That started with "s" and I was concerned  
So I said son now where did you learn to talk like that

[Chorus one]

He said I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool  
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you  
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are  
We got cowboy boots and camo pants  
Yeah we're just alike, hey ain't we dad  
I wanna do everything you do  
So I've been watching you

We got back home and I went to the barn  
I bowed my head and I prayed real hard  
Said lord please help me help my stupid self  
Then this side of bedtime later that night  
Turning on my son's Scooby doo nightlight  
He crawled out of bed and he got down on his knees  
He closed his little eyes, folded his little hands  
And spoke to god like he was talking to a friend  
And I said son now where'd you learn to pray like that

[Chorus two]

He said I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool  
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you  
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are  
We like fixing things and holding mama's hand  
Yeah we're just alike, hey ain't we dad  
I wanna do everything you do  
So I've been watching you

[Bridge]

With tears in my eyes I wrapped him in a hug  
Said my little bear is growing up  
He said but when I'm big I'll still know what to do

[Chorus three]

Cause I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool  
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you  
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are  
By then I'll be as strong as superman  
We'll be just alike, hey won't we dad  
When I can do everything you do  
Cause I've been watching you


End file.
